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Londolozi Live

Membership overview

We invite you to sign up for a Londolozi Live account and join our growing digital family united by our respect for nature and love of the wild. Membership is free and grants access to the Londolozi community, numerous innovative services and benefits across our digital ecosystem:

Quick sign in/sign up

Tired of new passwords? Link your social media account of choice for instant, secure access to Londolozi Live.

Who are you?

Tell the community something about yourself and tweak your Londolozi profile. More of a secretive animal? Keep your profile private.

Track your activity

Earn badges for your profile as you interact with Londolozi and the community as you comment, share and explore our online ecosystem. All your activity with Londolozi is now connected.

Increase your ranking

Earn prowess and rank up as you interact with Londolozi Live and earn a spot on the monthly points leaderboard.

Discuss stories

Chat with other Londolozi Live Explorers and with your favourite Contributors from the Londolozi team about their photos and stories from the wild.

Curate your own galleryNEW

Add your favorite photographs from around Londolozi Live to your very own Favorites gallery, using the ♡ button, for others to enjoy.

Purchase full res photosNEW

Buy your favorite photos in full resolution, easily and securely, for download at any time from your Profile Page.

Home of leopards

Tell us which of the Leopards of Londolozi you've encountered during your visit! Their cards will move to your profile page collection.

Rent gear

Need a camera for your stay? Book it online and hassle free. Travel to Londolozi light and easy.

Londolozi Live q

The Subjective Meaning of Londolozi

The word Londolozi means Protector of all living things. Most visitors to Londolozi could possibly fabricate hundreds of different descriptions or meanings to this word after their unique adventure at this world famous reserve. The trackers and guides, in their own and unique way, try to encapsulate the Londolozi experience with two perceptions I believe are synonymous with the word Londolozi; Tracking and Story Telling.

From the early pioneering years, Winnis Mathebula and Boyd Varty tracked lions and sat around the campfire along the banks of the Sand River (Varty Camp Boma these days) and told stories of their shared experiences under the scorching African sun. Their proficiency, honed through years of storytelling and tracking has led to Londolozi custodians such as Boyd Varty, Elmon Mhlongo and Richard Siwela almost perfecting these arts.

Winnis Mathebula taught three generations of Vartys and trackers how to track some of the most dangerous yet beautiful animals in the world. It is funny how dangerous and beautiful can be found in the same sentence, but at Londolozi, this phenomenon comes to the forefront more often than not when talking about the leopards and lions that call this place home. Tracking is an ancient skill passed along from one generation to another. It is a skill that requires immense amounts of patience, drive and the will to see a task through to the end.

As one leaves camp to go on your morning safari, the guide and the tracker decide upon a plan mustered up through years of experience. The refreshing cold air and the memory of a lion roaring during the witching hours have kept one’s exuberance inflated. The vehicle follows the natural curvature of the roads when suddenly the tracker lifts up his hand and the vehicle comes to a halt. The anticipation builds as the tracker and the guide stare into the tantalising unknown. The tracker glances at everyone and announces the word, “Lion”. An excitement engulfs the vehicle and so the story begins. The tracker follows an almost unfathomable labyrinth with such intimacy that the average human eye cannot fathom the concept. With every step he takes words are written in a storyline depicted in dirt and grass, by an author, not utilising pen and paper, but paw print and course. To be part of this script is one of the most satisfying feelings one can encounter on safari. The prints are very fresh and the story’s denouement is imminent. The tracker stops dead and points to an outline which resembles an image one has seen before, but never like this. The silhouette and the shadow of a lion paint the landscape dark. The proud stride of the lion brings it ever closer. As it walks past, your pounding heart can only be abated by the magisterial roar it lets out to announce its territory.

Moments of gratification such as this are usually the foundation of a story that will transpire in very similar circumstances to the first stories told at Londolozi in 1926. To this day people from all corners of the earth converge to fill the certain niche or void in their life which can only be filled by people or experiences so different, yet so similar. Nature has a constitutional ability to draw subtle complexities of cultures and languages together and without the need to communicate – everyone understands one another and what the reality of the whole experience encompasses.

This is what I believe is etched in the foundation of what makes Londolozi one of the most extraordinary places on earth. Sitting around a campfire, surrounded by friends and family and interchanging stories and experiences of days past. In a setting which no words can justify, surrounded by the fresh smell of the South African bush, the arousal of a campfire and the rippling of the Sand River over the polished pebbles, stories and dreams can come true.

Nature in its raw intricacy has a certain charm of creating the opportune moment for the recipe of storytelling to be mastered. Take some time and reminisce, think about experiences in your past and ask yourself. Could I tell someone a story about a tracker walking along a game path and tracking some of the majestic wild animals in the world? If not, come and sit around a campfire, listen, learn and appreciate the artistry of these age-old virtuosities.

About the Author

Werner Breedt

Field Guide

Werner guided at Londolozi from 2014-2016, but misses it so much now that he is based down in the Western Cape, that he begged to be able to continue contributing to the blog. Look out for his posts on a wide range of ...

Associates & Awards

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Purchase a photograph

Our best photographs are available for purchase in digital format from the Londolozi Live Fine Art Store, via credit card. Purchasable photos are tagged with the Fine Art Store icon:

Once purchased, you will be able to download the full resolution, unwatermarked image (around 10Mb) from your profile page at any time. There are also different license options which you can choose from when adding the image to your cart.

To add any purchasable image to your cart, press the Purchase/Add to cart buttons next to an image, from anywhere across Londolozi Live:

Badges

Badges are awarded for achieving various things and come with a bunch of points in tow. Here's an example badge:

We've had the pleasure of hosting you here at Londolozi and together we've experienced the magic of the wild and now you're part of the family. You've let us know about your past visits while editing your Profile.

Londolozi Guest

Awarded for visiting Londolozi.

1000

prowess earned

for earning the Londolozi Guest badge

Each badge has a basic version, such as the Londolozi Guest badge above, and then a specialist version:

Londolozi Lifer

Awarded for visiting Londolozi three times.

2000

prowess earned

for earning the Londolozi Lifer badge

To see all the badges on offer and find out how to grab them, visit the Badge Showcase or click on any badge you happen to find out there in the wild.

Senior Digital Ranger

Digital Tracker

Master Tracker

Guest

We've had the pleasure of hosting you here at Londolozi and together we've experienced the magic of the wild and now you're part of the family. You've let us know about your past visits while editing your Profile.

You've earned the badge:

Londolozi Guest

Awarded for visiting Londolozi.

1000

prowess earned

for earning the Londolozi Guest badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Londolozi Lifer

Leopard

On a trip to Londolozi you've been lucky enough to spot a leopard of Londolozi. You've encountered the leopard's profile card on the Blog and pressed the 'Spotted this Leopard?' button to record your sighting.

Lion Fanatic

Photographer

You've got an eye for the wilderness and have had your photographic journal from your time at Londolozi published on the Blog for others to enjoy. You found out how to submit your story by emailing us.

You've earned the badge:

Photographer

Awarded for submitting a photo story.

700

prowess earned

for earning the Photographer badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Master Photographer

Storyteller

You've got the gift of the storyteller and have had a tale of your time at Londolozi published on the Blog for others to marvel at around the camp fire. You found out how to submit your story by emailing us.

Art Specialist

Good Work Foundation

You recongise the rare privilege it is to be able to experience the untamed beauty of the natural world, and have found an opportunity to give back through The Good Work Foundation, for the sake of others, your children and the wild. You've let us know about your donations while editing your Profile.

You've earned the badge:

GWF Patron

Awarded for donating to The Good Work Foundation.

500

prowess earned

for earning the GWF Patron badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

GWF Protector

Curator

You've curated your own Favorites gallery by ♡ing at least 15 photographs which you absolutely love from around Londolozi Live. If your Favorites gallery has caught the eye of the Fine Art site Editor and is featured, you've also earned the esteemed Featured Curator badge.

Londolozi Live

Membership Overview

Londolozi Live

Membership overview

We invite you to sign up for a Londolozi Live account and join our growing digital family united by our respect for nature and love of the wild. Membership is free and grants access to the Londolozi community, numerous innovative services and benefits across our digital ecosystem:

Quick sign in/sign up

Tired of new passwords? Link your social media account of choice for instant, secure access to Londolozi Live.

Who are you?

Tell the community something about yourself and tweak your Londolozi profile. More of a secretive animal? Keep your profile private.

Track your activity

Earn badges for your profile as you interact with Londolozi and the community as you comment, share and explore our online ecosystem. All your activity with Londolozi is now connected.

Increase your ranking

Earn prowess and rank up as you interact with Londolozi Live and earn a spot on the monthly points leaderboard.

Discuss stories

Chat with other Londolozi Live Explorers and with your favourite Contributors from the Londolozi team about their photos and stories from the wild.

Curate your own galleryNEW

Add your favorite photographs from around Londolozi Live to your very own Favorites gallery, using the ♡ button, for others to enjoy.

Purchase full res photosNEW

Buy your favorite photos in full resolution, easily and securely, for download at any time from your Profile Page.

Home of leopards

Tell us which of the Leopards of Londolozi you've encountered during your visit! Their cards will move to your profile page collection.

Rent gear

Need a camera for your stay? Book it online and hassle free. Travel to Londolozi light and easy.

sightings by Members

The Leopards of Londolozi

Since 1979 Londolozi has had a love affair with leopards. Over the last four decades, this dynasty has been chronicled by the many guides and trackers, past and present, who have worked at Londolozi.

You can visit the Mashaba 4:3 Female's dedicated profile page to access a rich trove of information about this leopard, including family tree, unique markings, territory maps, timelines and a host of stunning images and videos.